This year’s East Coast Zone swim meet in Webster, New York, brought together some of the region’s best aquatic talent, including several Greenwich swimmers representing Coach Connie Wu’s Sailfish Team.
The Sailfish Team is run out of a renovated pool operated by the Stamford Boys and Girls Club in the former Yerwood Center.
In partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford, veteran coach and pool program director Connie Wu established the team to further the sport of Swimming, encourage athletic development of current competitive swimmers, and introduce non-swimmers to the sport.
Several Greenwich swimmers signed on early as Connie’s new team developed. Liam Flaherty, a 7th grader at Greenwich Catholic School, not only swims fast. His academic achievements include the 3rd place award at Science Fair.
Michelle Wiessler, a 5th grader at North Mianus, finished 4th in 50 yard breast stroke at CT State Champs.
Alex Ye, a freshman at Greenwich High School, was a finalist at both Age Group Champs and Zones.
Following a busy and successful winter season, several Sailfish Team swimmers qualified for Zones, a three-day championship open to swimmers from Maine to Virginia.
Bryce and Brielle Gold of Stamford, and Michelle Wiessler and Alex Ye of Greenwich, traveled together to Webster, NY to try to best their previous times.
Competing outside of Fairfield County gives kids an idea of where they stand on a national level, and helps in setting new goals, including college options.
Competitive swimming helps kids throughout life. Young swimmers learn it’s not only about the results at one meet. They learn the value of hard work and focus, and they learn how to manage the disappointment of not swimming their fastest time at every meet.
Swimming is good for the brain. Competitive swimmers are whiz kids when it comes to breaking down splits, stroke counts and counting laps. Continuous focus helps swimmers concentrate in other areas of life outside the pool. The Sailfish Team swimmers are proof – they swim fast and they excel in academics through honors programs and advanced classes.
Swimming builds confidence. Benefits of swimming cover a wide range of life lessons, including water safety, confidence, and learning to set and attain reasonable goals through hard work. Physical benefits are obvious – everyone would like to have a “swimmers body.”
Social benefits include being part of a team and learning patience and acceptance. All of these benefits continue through life for swimmers of all levels and abilities.
Swimming helps kids overcome the bumps and disappointments throughout life. Swimming helps kids learn to do their personal best. They recognize when they are slacking off, and learn how to refocus to get back on track.
Sailfish swimmers range in age from 5 to 15 years old. They live in Greenwich, Stamford and Scarsdale, and have found a common thread in their coach, Connie Wu, a former Chinese national swimmer.
Connie works with each swimmer to develop proper technique and set individual goals. It’s not just about winning or losing, it’s about doing your best.
Sailfish swim team practices 5 days a week, and swimmers participate in a variety of meets.The team will travel to China in summer 2018 to practice alongside Chinese junior teams while learning cultural differences and similarities among young athletes from opposite sides of the globe.
During the summer Connie runs 4-day stroke technique clinics which are open to all swimmers. Age-group swim lessons are also available for those just learning, and private coaching is available for all ages and levels. Contact Coach Connie Wu at weiw29@hotmail.com.